According to news reports: paddling alone to go fishing, PFD in boat behind the seat. The Elk River is very cold year-round. Put into river in Giles County near Veto Rd. Found boat with life jacket floating downstream.
Media reports:
http://www.waaytv.com/content/news/Crews-find-body-of-missing-Giles-County-kayaker-482291071.html
Posted By: Patrick Avry
Search teams found the body of a man in the Elk River Wednesday night, three days after he was last seen kayaking on the river. Teams found the body of Anthony Cooper, 31, around 9 p.m. Wednesday, Giles County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeremy Holley said.
Cooper's body was found in the water south of the Elkton boat ramp, not far from where he put in Sunday, Holley said.
Searchers had been working with the Tennessee Valley Authority, who reduced the amount of water being released from its Tims Ford dam upriver. According to Holley, the lowered water level on the river was what helped them find Cooper's body.
Holey said Cooper was not wearing a flotation device.
From Andrea White (ACA) On a different note, I was at TWRA this week doing a broadcast on paddling safety and picked up a tidbit that never made the news about one of our moving water fatalities last year. When they recovered the kayak angler on the Elk River in Tennessee this time last year it turns out his fishing anchor was wrapped around his ankle. Very sad, but clearly a teachable moment with the growth of kayak fishing, especially on moving water.
